Amusement device



Sept. 15, 1942. M. J.-sLATrERY musmm DEVICE Filed June ll, 1940 m-QRTIH J. SL-RTT-ERY Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Martin J. Slattery, Youngstown, Ohio Application June 11, 1940, serial No. 339,867

(o1. 27s-e145) Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement device and more particularly to an apparatus which is adapted to be used in conjunction with various interesting and diverting games utilizing imprinted boards and other apparatus and embodying features of skill and/or chance.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus which is operative to indicate a chance arrangement of a plurality of numerals which arrangement is but one of a very large number of possible arrangements.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of an apparatus having the characteristics enumerated above which is very inexpensive to construct but in which only those numerals which are selected either by chance or skill will be visible by the observer upon completion of the required manipulation of the apparatus.

The above objects are accomplished in accordance` with the present invention by employing a casing or box adapted to receive a plurality of dice and having a window of a size to cover the faces of a lesser number of dice than are contained in the casing. Means are provided in the casing whereby only said lesser number of dice can bepositioned before the window at the same time while the extra dice are effectively hidden from view.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed specification and the'accompanying drawing wherein there is specifically disclosed certain preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device constructed according to the principles of the invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view of the device of Figure 1, the view being taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of device;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view of the apparatus of Figurev 3; and

Figure 5v is aA developed view of the ve dice employed in each of the devices of Figures 1 and 3.

Any suitable construction may be employed for the casing of the apparatus but for convenience of production and assembly the casing should preferably be constructed of two parts as the inner part I0 and the outer part II,v as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The material of the casing should preferably be either opaque or translucent and Taunite or other plastic is well suited for the purpose.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the front wall of the casing adjacent its lower end is provided with an elongated Window or opening I2 and a sheet of transparent material I3 extends across the opening I2 and is cemented or otherwise suitably secured to the inner l surface of the front wall adjacent the marginal edges of the opening. The casing is of a size sufficient to accommodate five dice, indicated generally by the reference numeral I4, and to enable the dice to be tumbled around in the casing. The casing is of a width substantially equal to the combined width of three of the dice and is provided with a wall I5 extending substantially parallel with the window I2 and spaced therefrom a distance substantially equal to the width of a dice. A shelf I6 extends between the top of the wall I5 and the rear wall of the casing to support those dice which do not come into position in front of the window I2.

In accordance with the stated objects of the invention the numerals on the dice are so chosen that the arrangement of the numerals before the window I2 may represent any one of a large In the embodiment number of combinations. specifically disclosed, vthree numerals may appear before the window and it is therefore possible to have one thousand possible combinations of the numerals which possible combinations may range between 000 to 999. In order that every one of the possible three digit numbers may appear it is, of course, necessary that each of the numerals 0 through 9 appear on at least three faces of the aggregate dice. requires a total of live dice since this is the minimum number of dice which provides the required thirty faces. These five dice are marked as indicated in Figure 5 of the drawing.

In using the device described above the casing containing the ve dice is shaken to insure the tumbling and thorough intermixing of the dice and the casing is then set down on a flat solid object in the position shown in the drawing. Three of thev ve dice will normally fall into the trough in back of the window I2 and the three numerals on the front faces of these dice will be visible through the window. By reading the numerals from left to right the number given may be determined. This may be any number from 000 to 999.

The operation of the device when carried out in its intended manner is highly amusing, the effectiveness being provided by the use of the con- This, it is found,

ventional six-sided dice and by the use of an arrangement whereby only three faces of the aggregate dice are visible at any one time. In this connection it should be noted that the window I2 is but slightly less in size and area than the space occupied by the front faces of three aligned dice.

In the modification illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 the casing is considerably wider than the casing in the form first described and may consist of plastic inner and outer sections 20 and 2 I, respectively, the latter being provided with a window 22 adjacent the bottom of the front wall but spaced therefrom an interval equal to substantially half the width of a dice. As in the form first described, a transparent sheet 23 may extend across the opening 22 and be cemented or otherwise suitably secured to the inner surface of the front wall of the casing. Opening 22 is centrally disposed with; respect to the side walls of the casing anda hori; zontal shelf 24 is carried by the inner casing section 20 and extends along the bottom edge of the opening 22. A wall 25 and upper shelf'26 extends throughout the entire width of the. casing but the shelf 2li terminates at the side edges of the opening 22 to provide recesses or pockets in the lowerv corner of the casing to accommodate the two ldice which can not appear before the opening 22. The casing composed of sections 20 and 2| is also of sufficient dimensions to accommodatethe five dice and to enable the same to be tumbled around therein and after this agitation, if the casing is set down in the position shown in the drawing, two. of the dice will normally fall into the pockets provided while three will remain on the shelf 24 and have their front faces visible through the opening 22. In either embodiment4 described, if the dice are not properly aligned when thek casing is set down, a slight rapid sideways movement of the casing will result in their proper align. ment.

It should now be apparent that I have providedr a device which accomplishes the objects initially set out. The device is simple in design and construction and maybe produced at low cost. A- wide variety of possible applications in various amusement and educational games should bee. come readily apparent. Also, various changes. may. be made in the specific structure of the device without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, the specific con-A struction and material of the casing and the manner in which the required number of dice are diverted to in front ofthe observation opening is considered to be` immaterial.y Reference shouldv therefore behad to the appended claims in de, termining the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A chance game device comprising in come` bination a casing adapted to` loosely receive a.,

plurality of dice, five dice in saidk casing, each of said dice having six equal faces with a n umeral` thereon, one of the numerals 0; toV 9 appearingon one face of each of three different dce, a window in one Wall of said casing, means in said casing to direct certain of'said dice intov adjacent positions in front of. said window when said casing is orientedinto a predetermined position, the arrangement of the parts being such that A,only one faceof each of ,three dice isvisible through said Window when said casing is so oriented whereby any number from 000 to 999, both inclusive, may possibly be made to appear before said window.

2. A chance game device comprising in combination a casing adapted to loosely receive a plurality of dice, five uniformly dimension dice in said casing, each dice having six faces and a numeral on each of the six faces, said casing having a width substantially equal to three times the Width of one of said dice and having a depth substantially equal to two times the width of one of said dice, a window in the front wall of said casing extending substantially the entire width thereof and adjacent the bottom thereof, a wall extending upwardly from the center of the bottom wall of said casing and intermediate the sidel wallsI thereof, a shelf extending from the top of said second mentioned wall to the back wall ofthe casingl one of the numerals 0 to 9 appearing on one face of each of three different dice.

3. A chance game devicey comprising in combination av casing adapted to loosely receive a pluralityl of dice, five uniformly-dimensioned dice in said casing, each dice having six faces and a numeral on each ofv the six faces, said casing having a width substantially equal to five times the width of one of said dice, and having a depth substantially equal to two times the Width of one of said dice, a. window in theL front wall of said casing, said window having a width substantially equal tothree times, thewidth. of one of said dice, a shelf inv said casing extending inwardly from the lowerv edgel ofsaidfwindow, means to direct three of said dice onto said shelf when said casing is oriented into a predetermined position, one of the Inumerals 0 to. 9 appearingonl one face of eachof three different dice.

4. A chance game device comprising` in cornbination aY casing adapted to looselyreceive a plurality of dice cubes, the minimum dimension of said casing being substantially greater than the size` ofl said dice, a plurality of dice in said casing, each ofpsaid dice having six equal faces with a, numeral disposed centrally thereon, a window in one Wall of said casing, means in said casing to direct certain but not all of said dice into adjacent positions in front of said Window when said,casingisorientedinto a predetermined position, the arrangement of the parts being such that only, one face of eachvof certain of said dice isy visible through said Window when Said casing is so oriented.

5. A chance game device comprising a casing adapted to looselyv receive a plurality of dice cubes and having avthickness substantially greater than the size of said dice, a window inone wall of said casingadjacent an end thereof and having a width substantially equal to the combined length of three of said,dice, aWal1 extending from saidend substantially parallel. with said window and spaced therefrom an interval, substantially equal. to thev sizeof the dice, and a shelf extending from thetop-of said second mentionedfwall to the outer. casing wall opposite said Window.

MARTIN J. SLATTERY. 

